Five traits I look for when I hire for leadership roles.

?I was recently talking to many bright and brilliant minds in my search for great candidates for leadership roles in a new geography. I find such conversations invigorating as they bring together new ideas, pulsating energy, bright vision, and immense passion - all ingredients which drive us each day to be better leaders, as we build a better working world.

?How we evolve as leaders is a topic that often plays on my mind. So, this time, I am listing out what I think are some defined traits that make-up a leader, which deeply connect with me. Let me clarify that these are not market benchmarks; rather, my observations over the years that closely mirrors my experiences.

1.Articulating Purpose:?The purpose is the core of everything we do; it drives us and defines us. I often ask people what drives them: their personal purpose or work purpose? People often opt for the latter, and when asked to elaborate, they define the former. This, I assume, is because we are conditioned to articulate the organizational vision to be larger and the individual.

I feel it is important to be vocal about what drives you and then find an organization with a similar ethos. For instance, I am what is often described as a ‘people’s person.’ I thrive in interactions, knowing people, and being involved with activities that positively impact the social circles – my family, teams, organization, and society.?

Being able to have a strong purpose that drives you is the foundation to becoming a great leader.

2. Being authentic:?To?find your purpose, you need to accept yourself. Being a leader is not equivalent to being a cinematic or literary hero. It is ok to show vulnerabilities. In fact, it is the little chinks in the armor that make you empathize better.?

You need to be comfortable in your skin; this is not to the point of complacency. We learn, unlearn, and evolve. But for the agility of mind, we need a strong self-awareness and acceptance.?

How Will You Measure Your Life? By Clayton M. Christensen is something that provides great insights into how applying leadership insights into personal lives has a profound impact. He asks three questions:

• How can I be sure that I’ll be happy in my career?
• How can I be sure that my relationships with my spouse and my family become an enduring source of happiness??
• How can I be sure I’ll stay out of jail??

?The last question, unfortunately is not in jest, as there is a historical legacy of bad?decision-making when leaders lose sight of their purpose.

3. Relationships are everything.?Even if you are not an extrovert like me, we are still defined by the relationships we build. While most people loosely use the term networking, in essence, it is to know. By know I mean understanding interests, motivations, purpose, etc. How we connect, ideate, and contribute to their growth/ idea – the way we collaborate is a very powerful bond. Like all human relationships, this comes with complexities, and dealing with them helps you grow as a leader. So, it is important to be invested in people.

?4. Waterfall versus agility.?Well, this is no trick question; the answer is clearly agility – when we look at the leadership context. As we juggle business and people in a face paced business environment – what we are looking for is precision. While it is also true that it is impossible to be correct all the time, your ability to course-correct and propel forward requires agility in skill and mindset.?

5. Childlike curiosity.?The one thing that has stood out as a key characteristic in every leader I have looked up to is their childlike curiosity. This almost sums up all points I listed above. It defines the ability to learn, process new information, and unburden oneself of bias and rigid beliefs. On a personal front, it shows acceptance of vulnerabilities and the inclusion of thoughts and ideas.?

?Well, as I fly back home to a festive week, I realize how important people are in my journey towards becoming, if I may say so, a good leader. It gets clearer for me each day that the most important leadership legacy you will leave behind is the people and their experiences – and that includes you. So, find your purpose, things which matter, and do not look back. An exceptional and wholesome career is yours to build.

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